'I've always connected better with older people, be it men or women.'
Kiran Joneja, known for starring in iconic shows like Buniyaad and Mahabharat, has largely remained away from the spotlight.
But she opened up about her personal life and her marriage with Buniyaad Director Ramesh Sippy in a conversation with Lehren TV. She also cleared allegations of being a home-breaker.
'I would have felt that way if I was a home-breaker. I already knew what the situation was. It was not like I broke a home,' she said in the interview.
Kiran married Ramesh Sippy in 1991, when she was 27 and he was 44.
Before marrying her, Ramesh was married to Geeta Sippy with whom he had three children, Rohan, Sonya and Sheena.
Besides Sholay and Buniyaad, Sippy also directed Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Shaan and Shakti.
'It wasn't love at first sight,' Kiran explained about her love story.
'I didn't even know how big he was. I wasn't in awe of him when we met. That only came later when I began working with him. I saw how people respected him, how they touched his feet, how they were almost afraid of him. That's when I realised he was someone really important in the (film) industry.'
Despite a significant age gap between them, Joneja said their connection was natural.
'He was much older, but I didn't face any problems with that. I've always connected better with older people, be it men or women. I don't know why. Maybe I was just too mature for my age. With boys my age, there was just no tuning,' she said.
During the interview, Joneja also reflected about the challenges she faced in the entertainment industry following her early success.
After appearing in major television serials, Kiran was suddenly offered 'mother' roles often to actors much older than her.
'I started getting mother roles after Buniyaad and Mahabharat. I was like, 'How can I play a mother to someone who's 10 or 15 years older than me?' But that's what happened. My buniyad (foundation) as an actor started and ended right there.'
Sholay will celebrate its 50th anniversary on August 15, but Kiran remains tight-lipped about the plans.
'There are a lot of plans, but we don't want to talk about them yet. It's too early, August is still far away. Closer to the time, we'll be doing something,' she says.
Photograph curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
